Facing Economic Uncertainty Without Fear

Facing Hard Times
Some parents are facing hard economic times. Whenever parents are stressed, the kids are bound to feel it and share that stress to some degree, too.

Horrible Headlines
The news headlines lately have been terrible: out-of-work parents commit suicide after killing their own children. Makes you wonder how people could be so desperate.

Grounded in Faith
The best way to face a crisis of any kind (including job loss and economic uncertainty), is to have a firm grounding in faith. If our values are skewed when a crisis hits, we're bound to respond badly to the crisis. If you're facing economic uncertainty, it's time to assess your values and renew your faith. People who measure their self-worth by the things they possess and the income they earn won't do well when those things are taken away from them.

We need to trust in the Lord and value what He values, lay up our treasures in Heaven and teach our children to do the same.

"You cannot serve God and mammon. Therfore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:24, 25

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Mt. 6: 31-33

We may face economic uncertainty without fear by the grace of God. There is no fear where faith is and God can supply even that.

Tammie

Entertainment's Great Compromise

"I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me." Psalm 101:2,3

The Bible clearly states a number of principles that help Christians to walk in oneness with their Lord. One of these principles is: By beholding, we are changed. (That's from 2 Corinthians 3:18.)

I'm always surprised when I hear a pastor or minister standing in the pulpit, quoting characters from a Hollywood movie, in which there are adulterous scenes, blasphemous words spoken, and vice of every kind portrayed. What business do we as Christians have watching sin? How can viewing sin improve us? How does indulging, even vicariously, in sin fit our soul temples for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

It's unfortunate, but many of us grew up watching too much TV and we're addicted. We've passed this addiction onto our children. The sad truth is, that the entertainment industry has become filthier and filthier. What our children are now exposed to through television and the internet is far more evil than what most of us were exposed to as children.

If we want our children to yearn for heaven, we need to help them fill their minds with heavenly things. That may require drastic measures to curtail the evil influence of media in our homes. But we are at war, afterall. What's at stake are our very souls and the souls of our children.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12.

May God bless you as you courageously seek to shepherd your precious flock.

Tammie

The New Universal Babysitter

My husband was talking to me about the awful statistics on media addictions in kids. Recently in the news a teen boy was found dead after being missing for several days. He'd had a falling out with his parents who were concerned about his online gaming.

Are games taking over our kids' lives? I'm amazed at how young children are when they are first exposed to computer games. Why do we think it's so necessary for 3 year olds to know how to play computer games? Oh yeah, we call it "educational" as if that's some kind of holy word. If it's "educational" then it's okay, even beneficial.

I don't believe it. Very young children are stuck in front of video screens because they're playing learning games. Then when they're teens we wonder why that's all they want to do. It used to be that TV was the "universal babysitter". Now, the video screen has taken over that role. The earlier a child can learn to manage the mouse, the better. After all, they're not just watching TV. They're "learning"!

What do you do to manage your children's exposure to internet, video, and other electronic media? I'd like to know.

Tammie